Lead assembly



July 15, 1952 w, A, UNE n AL 2,603,682

LEAD ASSEMBLY Filed March 7, 1946 2 Si-{EETS-Sl-IEET 1 ATTORNEY.

July15, 1952 W.A.UL|NEETAL `2,603,682

LEAD ASSEMBLY Filed March 7, 1946 2 SHEETS-SiiEET 2 al l5 27 3l INVENToRs. 5 www@ Je www f6, BY P M @Q12 5m/ ATTORNEY.

Patented July 15, 1952 .LEAD ASSEMBLY k*William VAfllllin'eand Howard PrRowelI, Sidney, v LN. Y.,.assignors to Bendix Aviation Corporation, New York,A N.v Y., a corporation oflv Delaware 1946, serial No. 652,566

' 'y I' `ApplicationY March 7,

P L ricains.' (c1.1'7s"-363) This invention relates to a lead yassembly of the type vadapted to transmit an electric current, particularly comprisingV an insulated conductor wire attached at its ends to appropriate electrical ,contacts 'or connectors and protected Y by*v a hose'- attachedV atl its ends to appropriate fittings; rand further relates to-,means of completing such -an assembly, to means of dismantling it', and to Aa novel process therefor.

Here'tofore, lead lassemblies have' been made but they-have beensubject to the fault that there was no method' by which a" cableA could be assembledwithin protective hose equal in length thereto, especially when 4the lead Aassemblyvl is short and the outer diameter of the cable approximates 'the inner diameter of the hose. Consequently, the devices of 'the' prior art'depended upon compressible 4springs-upon slack in cables of excess length, oruporr hosefttings of particular designyto compensate forY the unequalY length of hose andcable. Those devices were relatively inefficient in operation and high in cost. f

`It is an object of this invention to make a lead assembly in which hose and cable are of substantially the sameI length, so that' in assembled' relationthecontacts are in correct relation to the fittings "and the cableiis'substantially Without slack.' Each hose' may contain one or several leads'. i

Another object of the vinvention is blesuch a lead assembly.` .f

Anotherv object' of ythe invention is to dismantlesuch an assembly. f Yet'another object of the invention is to devise tools for assembling and 'tools' for dismantling the cables and hoses cf electrical leads.v Still another object is to make a lead of novel construction fre'e'from unsealed joints, in which all' partsV v are mounted as an integrated intersupported whole having novelmeans forpositioni'ng the connectors within fittings of different design. v `Other objects and novel features of the invention will be in part apparent and in part set forth in the accompanying specification.

The above and further kobjects and novel featuresof the invention will more fully appear from the' following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to -be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are forthe purpose of illustration only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference for this latter purpose being had vpri-- marily to the appended claims. y

to assem- In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, i* v Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a lead vassembly embodying concepts of this in'- vention;

Fig. 2 is a similar section through a-hose end and a .connector-of the pin type;

Fig. 3 is a'vertical section through anelbow fitting showing a step of the novel process, and a novel tool partly 'in section; y

Fig.r 4 is a similar section showing a later phase of the process, and details of a novel hose, elbow and fitting with cooperatingr Icableand mounts.; f

Fig. 5 is asimilar section showing a yet later phase of the vprocess and another novel tool;

6 is apart section through a novel dismantling tool;

Fig. Y' isa plan view of and Fig. 8 is an end view of the tongs shown in Fig. 7. I

Referring now to the numerals of .the drawing and to Figs. 3, 4, andf5, which show a preferred form of the invention and discloseV the process of assembly, Il) is a hose fitting having an elbow Il, a body portion I2 that is adapted to make contact through a spherical face AI3 with a cooperating fitting, and an internally vscrew threaded nut I4 which is mounted on the `body portion-l2 by means of overlapping fian'ges I5 and I6. A' hose ferrule I1, shown in Fig. 4 only, fits snuglywithin the endof the elbow'll and is preferably attached thereto by soldering. The hose I9 contains an insulated cableV I8 which with its attached contacts 20 is of length substantially equal to that of the hose and its fittings. It isto be understood that this equality need not be exact, the criterion being the production of an assembled unit having relative slack in neither cable nor hose; This is shown in Fig. 1 andis believed to be a construction unknown to the prior art. `This construction permitsv the cable and the hose to be 'of substantially snug and mutually supporting t, although in the drawings they are shown to be or` different sizes for purposes of clarity and to illustrate the adaptabality of the invention to variations in construction.

Such constructions were unknown to the prior art, 'and'no methods were available by which they could be made; The novel constructions herein described were facilitated by the novel method that' also forms a part of this invention. This novel method is illustrated in a preferred dismantling tongs;

The cooperating tool part 25 has a The part 25 is tu'- bular, having an elongated part 26 witha il'atV end 27 adapted to serve as a pusher. Theor;-

posite end 23 is internally"enlarged-atjZliorl' a certain depth, the enlargement being termil The interior of the nated by the abutment 3i). body portion i2 of the ttinghas anY annular abutment 3l and an annular abutment 32 spaced therefrom, the abutments and the cylindrical wall forming a cylindrical chamber with annular endwalls.

For cooperation with that chamber in the mounting of the contacts in the fittings there'are two flexible inserts 33 andV 34, inthe form 4of the invention shown iny Figs. 3, d, and 5, having external flanges 35, 3G of such size that, when they are firmly compressed one against the other, ktheir anges 35, 35 nt within the abutments 3l, 32. The insertor bushing 33 is tapered to lend it increasing flexibility toward its small end. Thev inserts may satisfactorily be made of rubber or or, other iiexible and'resil ient material.

The-contact 20 has a reduced .portion 3T. The insert 34, which is commonly called an insertby persons skilled in the art, is provided with an internal'ange of size adapted to Iit` the reduced portion 3l, both cooperating partsihaving square ends to prevent disengagement after assembly;A

In assembling the device the hose and'fittings may be rst completed. All connections between thehose` and ttings may be made by solder and without the use of unsealed joints, which constitutes a considerable advantage. In soldering ythe hose ferrule tothe elbow or other connector, caution should be employed, when a rubber hose is employed, not to undulyoverheat the hose ferrule IT;

When the hose has thus been prepared, a cable ofcorrect length is selected, the endsl of the wireV arev uncovered and cleaned, and one end is soldered'inthe solder well 38 of a contact 20.

, InFigsB, fl. and 5 the contact is Vshown to lbe or receptacle orsocket type', but itcould be of pin type as shown at 2li in Figi. 2 if desired.

' The cable thus having been soldered at one-v end to a contact, the freeend is passed through the.` hose assembly until the attached socket contacts rest in the elbow of the cable, whereupon the'second contactv is attached to the other end of. the cable as it projects rfrom the hose into or beyond the iitting which isv not shown in Figs. Inf-5'. The cable is returnedto a balanced. :position: within the hose and fittings, after the second' connector has been attached, and theA parts are ready for assembly as a unit. l

The bushing 33 being adapted to Iit either snugly to or with only slight spacing from the cable I8; could notV normally be passed over theconnector 2i! without. disturbing the relation of that connector to the fitting' to such an extent that final adjustment would be impossible. However, by this invention the bushing is passed over the small end 23 of the tool 2|, and arranged: in distended position about. the hollow end 22 thereof. The sleeve portion 25 of the tool is then passed over the part 2| and brought into abutting engagement with the end of the bushing 33. The connector and the end of the cable I8 are then admitted to the hole in the tool as shown in Fig. 3, the part 23 of tool 2| is firmly grasped and the, sleeve 25 is employed to thrust .thebushing toward; the-,position shownin Fig; 4i," Inl attaining this position the elbow, the bracing effect of the hose, and the natural stiiness of the wire cooperate. The tool 25 is then removed and the insert 34 is passed over the tool 2|. The tool 25 .is then telescoped. on the tool 2| in reverse position asshown in Fig; 4, and is employed to push the insert 3'4` into the position shown in Fig. 5 ywherein the enlarged portion -of inserts 33 and 34 -iitnwithin the chamber of the body portion I2 of the fitting. The cylindrical part 28 fitsv over the end'ofthe insert and prevents it from expanding against the body I2 and stopping the progress ofthe insert. '1

By holding tlietool.V 25 in position andwith drawing the-'tool 2| the distended grommetis permitted to! conform itself.` tothe shape of" the contact 20` and by withdrawingA the tool 25v the encircledV part of the insert is released. `In some instances this` conformity may: not be perfectV in l the rst instance, in which case a tool.- 40 having a pin 41 is thrust into the. contact, as shown:in Fig. 5, which may then be accurately'adjusted within the insert. When the final adjustment has thus been: made, a substantially permanent and very precisely aligned connectionV exists b etween. the hose and fittings' andi the cable'Y and contacts.

One end of the. unit having thus ,beenas.- sembled a. similar Yprocedure is applied; to the other end;. producing a 'unitary'structure wholly new andapossessedofigreat. advantages;

When itiis desired' to dismount the inserts from the.-assembly,.a toolsuch asshown inFi-g. Gi'may beemployed. This tool. consists basically of a hollow screw 50 whose spiral 5I may be of wood screw` type. and? which is provided with la simple handle 52a Having placed the end of the screw withini the end of the insert, it is turnedv andV simultaneously advanced, whereby it distends the inserti until itmay be withdrawn in substantially undamaged condition from theV contact and the tting. Such withdrawn inserts usually maybe.

used' again. The insertsl having been removed from one end of the assembly a pair'of tongs' 56 such as shown inr Figs. 7 and 8 may be employed to further adjust the mounting at, the other end, or i1' theA inserts. are withdrawn at both: ends, to pull the wirey through into such-` position that the assemblyA may be totally dis'- mantled.

In Fig. l is shown' an assemblyl wherein a single.

inserti or grommet 51 replaces the two employed i-n the figures which have just been` described..

This. figure also shows an assembly in which no elbowr is employed and in which a metal tube 58- replaces the rubber hose hereinbefore described. This metal tube may be made of any satisfactory material but is preferablyiiexible.

The drawings show all the connecting nutsl of the. fittings to be internally screw threaded, but'l itis; to beunderstood that the cooperating fittings wouldl have externally screw threaded portions.

Bymeans of this construction there'is provided alead which is without relative slack in its parts, which is protected4 against the disintegrating effects of' vibration and shock, which' can beassembled' even though the concentric partsare of substantially equal length, which can be dismantled with ease by the method and the employment of the novel tools described, and which has no unsealed joints. The structure, the method, and the tools are alike believed to be new and to constitute, together, a new conception of the constitution of connecting leads.

Although only a limited number of embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the same is not limited thereto. As will now be apparent to those skilled in the art, various changes, such as in the design and arrangement of the parts illustrated, may be made in the illustrated embodiments of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. For a definition of the limits of the invention, reference is had primarily to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical lead assembly comprising a single continuous length of hose, a unitary tubular itting permanently secured to each end of the hose, a pre-molded resilient insert in and removable from each of said iittings, the latter having insert positioning means to cooperate with and resist removal of said inserts, at least one electrical contact extending through each of said inserts, the latter having contact positioning means for positioning and yieldablyvresisting removal of said contacts, and a cable in said tube having its ends permanently secured to the adjacent ends of the contacts supported in said inserts.

2. An electric lead including a tube, a rigid one-piece fitting iixed on each end of the tube, a resilient insert removably held under compression in each tting, interior conformations on the nttings cooperating with exterior conformations on the inserts to position the inserts in the f1ttings and yieldably resist removal of the inserts, a contact removably held under compression in each insert, interior conformations on the inserts and exterior conformations on the contacts cooperating to position the contacts in the inserts and yieldably resist removal of the contacts, and a conductor wire joining the contacts and extending through the tube, the length of said wire equalling the length of the tube between the points of connection to the contacts and being substantially without lack or slack.

3. The lead of claim 2 in which a said tting contains a pair of oppositely extending inserts one of which projects into the tube, said inserts having complementary parts of a said cooperating conformation.

4. An electric lead including a protective tube fixed and sealed at each end to a one-piece cylindrical connector shell, said tube and shells constituting a continuous inseparable protective cover for an electric wire and its contacts, an electric wire extending through said tube, contacts xedly attached to the ends of said wire and positioned, when said wire is fully extended, within said shells, premolded iiexible inserts in said shells for compressively holding the said contacts in the shells and sealing the inside of the lead, cooperating conformations on the shells and inserts positioning and yieldably retaining the inserts within the shells, and cooperating conformations on the inserts and contacts positioning and yieldably retaining the contacts in the inserts at the full length of the wire.

5. An electrical lead assembly comprising an elongated tubular conduit, a one-piece fitting at each end of said conduit and permanently secured thereto, a contact carrying insert in each said fitting, said inserts and fittings having cooperating surfaces for positioning and yieldably retaining the inserts in the fittings, a contact member mounted in each insert, said contact members and inserts having cooperating positioning and contact member retaining means thereon, and a cable extending through said conduit and secured at its ends to the adjacent ends of said contact members, said cable being substantially free from slack.

6. An electrical lead assembly comprising an elongated tubular hose, a unitary fitting at each end of said hose and permanently secured thereto, a tubular insert of resilient material in each tting under radial compression, said inserts and fittings having cooperating engaging surfaces for positioning and yieldably retaining the inserts in the ttings, a contact member mounted in each said insert, said contact members and inserts having cooperating engaging surfaces for positioning and yieldably retaining said contact members in the inserts, the latter exerting pressure radially inwardly against said contact members, and a cable extending through said hose and secured at its ends to the adjacent ends of said contact members, said cable being substantially free from slack.

WILLIAM A. ULINE. HOWARD P. ROWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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